IT hath beene our desire and disposition in all the course of our Gouernment (as one of the best and safest remedies) to extend our naturall clemencie in forewarning Offenders where reason of State will not permit vs to vse the same in dispensing with their offences; And hauing lately obserued that diuers of our Subiects haue repaired into our Realme of England from the parts beyond the Seas (being persons of meane condition, and of wandring course of life, and vnknowen to any of credit that might vndertake for them) who haue refused to take the Oath of allegeance, lately by our Parliament deuised: We can not but conceiue that such persons are not vnlike to become bad Instruments of practise and perill against our State. For considering that we had neuer any intention in the forme of that Oath to presse any point of Conscience for matter of Religion, but only to make some discouerie of disloyall affection: the refusall thereof in any person must both induce a vehement suspition in it selfe, and much more in such a one as may be probably supposed to haue come from such parts, where he may haue conuersed with Traitors and Fugitiues, and is also of a needie fortune, which may make him apt for any dangerous or desperate imployment: And therefore Wee haue resolued, and accordingly doe charge and commaund all persons authorized by Law, to minister the said Oath, that taking information from the Officers of our Ports, and by all other good wayes and meanes, they faile not to tender the same Oath at the Ports to all our Subiects comming from beyond the Seas, (not being knowen Merchants or men of some qualitie) and vpon refusall thereof the Law to be seuerely executed, which willeth to commit them to Prison vntill the next Assises, or Generall quarter Sessions, and so vpon a second refusall to be brought within the degree of a Praemunire. Wherein, because the penaltie is so grieuous (of which neuerthelesse we can not in our Princely prouidence make any alteration) We haue thought good to notifie our resolution, and order giuen therein, which we doubt not, but wil be in small time dispersed abroad; to the end that such as now are, or heereafter shalbe in forraine parts, and finde in their owne hearts such affections, as can not stand with the said Oath, may know their peril, and thereby either refraine their comming in, or expect the execution of our Lawes.
Giuen at our Palace of Westminster the xxix. day of April in the sixt yeere of our raigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.
God saue the King.